Kyouka Ramen

Of all the ramen places I’ve tried, Kyouka Ramen is the best one of all. First of all, the staff was friendly, polite and prompt. They work well together in a cozy and clean place.
Started off with the fried chicken wings. They were crispy on the outside, but very juicy and silky on the inside. Yummy. Then I tried their signature Kyouka ramen (spicy) with chili paste on the side. Before putting in the chili paste, the soup was already full with tasty flavours. After putting in the chili paste… OMG. So good. I wish I’m eating one right now. Eating the ramen with a glass of plum wine was heaven. The plum wine was smooth and sweet. It was a good balance to the rich flavours of the ramen. Ended with a bowl of green tea ice cream for dessert. Refreshing.
Kyouka Ramen is definitely a ramen place I would visit again. You can definitely taste the soul of authentic Japanese ramen made by Head Chef Kenji. Delicious.

Fantastic ramen. My husband likes it better than Santouka! We both had the Kyouka ramen, chicken wings and I had the tendon donburi. My 3 Year old son ate it all up too! It came super quickly and the staff were so friendly. Definitely coming back.

Time for another episode of Leslie’s very popular and anticipated Unilocal Pros and Cons!
I had the kyouka ramen and then later tried the tsukemen dipping ramen.
Pros:
Authentic Japanese ramen restaurant with a Japanese chef straight outta Comp. er… Tokyo. Ironically, this location used to be one of those fake non-​Japanese sushi restaurants and then a fish and chips place.
Very clean premises owing to its recent opening
Location: bringing authentic Japanese cuisine to an area without one (i.e. not downtown)
Counter seating where one can enjoy seeing the chef in action and the pots, pipes, steam and the works, which is the authentic ramen restaurant set up. In Toronto Santouka and Kinton have this lay out. Sansotei, Ryus, etc. do not. Ramen restaurants have to feature open concept kitchens.
Polite servers who smile and are happy to be of service
Chasu: melt-​in-​your-​mouth pork and chicken
Ajitama: the perfect just-​rightly boiled ramen egg — too bad they give you half instead of a whole one
The soundtrack to Ghibli animé on the speakers
Cons:
(Now mind you I am biased because my personal favourite broth is pork) the chicken. pork broth mix is oily and not as fragrant as tonkotsu pork broth. It always amazes me that people find pork broth heavier than chicken broth. Once again, I found the chicken broth very oily here (like Touhenboku’s broth — although Kyouka is much better than Touhenboku. I would return to Kyouka, but would not return to Touhenboku whose broth is just strange).
Tsukemen was not deliciously fishy like Ryus. The fish broth tsukemen at Ryus is the best. Kyouka’s was missing sesame too.
The fishcake naruto and chasu were so thinly cut I felt like they use a deli meat cutter.
Small location needs to be expanded.
Didn’t order zinga appetizer as it was 3 for $ 6
No Japanese staff except for the owner himself
The broth was not so good, the noodles were very standard, but at least thick which I like and the atmosphere felt strange and out-​of-​place until I noticed it is because there were no Chinese customers in the restaurant. I thought as soon as an authentic Japanese restaurant or business opens our Chinese-​Canadian friends would line up but not here! It was fun watching the chef create the ramen bowls with care and style…
One last comment: the ramen is available in regular/​mild, spicy and suicide spicy flavours. Those who know ramen know that it should not be eaten as spicy. Spicy ramen helps kill the taste buds, which is not what real food/​ramen lovers would do.

I was happy to see a ramen place open up in the Beaches. I was even more happy with the food. This is traditional ramen at its best… with a twist on the kyouka ramen. I’ve tried the shoyu & kyouka ramen and the veggie shio ramen. All very, very good. Noodles were the perfect consistency and the broths were all perfectly complex & so so yummy.
The prompt & friendly staff are great. Never had to ask for water fill up or had to wait & wave to get their attention, the attentive staff are helpful and very well trained. I’ve eaten ramen in Japan and this feels like entering a ramen shop in Tokyo… and tastes authentic too. I highly recommend this resto… just make sure to get there early for the lunch opening to get a table as they shutter for part of the afternoon & re-​open again for dinner. Mmmmm noodles.

First impression, staff was friendly and attentive. Small area, more suited for smaller parties.
Got the following:
Shio ramen — Intense clam flavour paired with green onion brought out the umami flavour, soup not too fatty, could be just slightly less salty. Cha siu and chicken were perfect in texture and both taste. Marinated egg had a good consistency for the yolk. Noodles are fresh with a good mouthfeel. Second favourite dish.
Karaage wings — Light starch based batter, which is always a bonus. Tebasaki styled, could be slightly more spicy.
Kyouka donburi — Not too exceptional, had the chicken and cha siu from Shio ramen but not a necessarily ‘must order’ item
Spicy chicken donburi — Great surprise, chicken was marinated well, was not dry in any way. There was ra-​yu in the chicken which dripped to the bottom of the bowl and made it really delicious, not to mention the marinated egg. My personal favourite!

I visited with my friend in the evening, and ordered the Shio Ramen, fully-​loaded (double topping). (I just noticed that they didn’t put the fishcake in my dish :()
I thought the ramen places in Toronto were not what they used to be. Kyouka Ramen definitely changed my perspective. Some people might find the soup salty, but to me it had a good strong taste without so much fattiness. The noodles and the soup tasted great together. The meat pieces were very flavourful. Also the staff were responsive and friendly. I enjoyed my meal, and I’d like to visit again with friends.

Highlight: broth of the soupless vegetarian Ramen $ 13. Surprisingly delicious blend of sweet, salty, and savory. Good ratio of noodles and vegetables (cabbage and bean sprouts), and perfectly cooked soft boiled egg.
Companion enjoyed the classic kyouka ramen $ 11. Contemplated getting double the toppings $ 15 but was happy with the original.
Staff are very friendly and even though it was busy, they were quite attentive. Restaurant is clean and efficient.
Tip: get there early, or be prepared to wait — worth it. I’ll be back for sure.

I thought after seeing all the positive reviews we’d give this a shot. I ordered the chicken wings and the Kyouka Ramen! Honestly I felt the chicken wings were under cooked and very greasy. Should have sent them back. I thoroughly enjoyed the Ramen, I felt there was also something in the Ramen that made it oily but it had great flavour. Great friendly staff.

After reading all the great reviews on Unilocal,felt I had to drop by to try this place out.
Arrived shortly after noon on Sunday and the place was full already so people must have been waiting to get it even before they opened. Usually a good sign.
My eating partner and I was seated at the counter after a 15min wait which seemed quite reasonable. We both decided to order the signature Kyouka Ramen and Karaage since they looked so good in the pictures!
Noodles came out very quickly and we were able to see the chefs behind the counter so that was cool. I really liked the noodles, nice bite and definitely not soggy. I liked the smoked meat as well although my partner thought the meat was not tender enough. I didn’t mind it but I can see why someone might think that way as the meat is quite lean but I prefer the lean meat over pork belly which to me is fatty but tender. Which brings me to the soup. The Kyouka Ramen broth is a mix of pork and chicken and I thought the soup was too fatty as I can see the fat floating in the soup (not garlic). Not my thing. The karaage was nice and for $ 6, you get 3 chicken wings which a lot of people seem to be ordering so looks like a lot of people approve.
If you Check In with Unilocal,you get a 10% discount which was nice. I would say 4 stars bumped down to a 3 for the fatty broth. I’ll try the chicken broth based ramen instead next time. Nice addition to the neighbourhood.

Best ramen along with other dishes. We can’t wait to come back and try more — so glad we stumbled onto this place after seeing a movie at The Fox Theatre. The place is small, brightly lit with staff happy to welcome you despite arriving half an hour before closing time as we did. Great prices, a nice small selection of dishes to choose from — quality not quantity. We got ramen, a rice dish and Karaage chicken. Highly recommend you try this place, it’s one of those hidden gems.

They prepare the noodles with love. I hope it becomes less busy because the place is small and no where to stand and wait.
Be careful with the vegetarian ramen. Made with Chicken broth.

Great ramen joint. Having tried most ramen places in the city, I really appreciate that each has their own flavour. Kyouka definitely branches out with the chicken slices and clam soup base. Yum!!! I like the toppings of the namesake ramen but the soup is too fatty for me. I prefer the clam soup base which is lighter and I love the option of a veggie ramen when you don’t feel like meat at lunch. It’s packed with delicious crunchy veg blanched in soup. (it’s not a vegetarian soup though for those that care).
The tendon rice is good, the wings need a bit of work (too oily when I tried it). The hours are a bit short though… The lunch window can use a bit of extension on the weekend? Overall recommend.

We kept passing this place and noticed that it was always packed, last night the stars finally aligned and we were able to enjoy some delicious ramen. The space is clean, bright and vibrant, if not a bit smallish, but rest assured the service is super-​speedy and the table turnover is fast, so you won’t have to wait long.
We both ordered the kyouka ramen, and opted for the fully loaded option, which is double the toppings. I had mine spicy and my wife ordered hers mild. We both absolutely loved our ramen. The Kyouka Ramen was a combination of both chicken and pork broth and the chicken chashu was perfect. The portion sizes were amazing, we considered getting a side of karaage chicken wings, which looked incredible (the table next to us ordered them), but I think we may have burst. We will definitely be back.

A bit aways outside it the dt core lies this hidden ramen place. Place seats about max 30 people.
Though it’s far it’s well worth the trek out east.
I ordered the Kyouka Ramen which came with a rich broth and thicker than average noodles (thicker than kinton’s). The noodles were chewy al dente and came in a large portion. What really stole the show was the slow cooked beef tendon donburi which came in a large size despite being a side dish. Tender tendons resting on a large bowl of rice sprinkled with raw green onion and ginger and a sheet of seaweed. Every bite of the bowl was delicious since the tendon sauce just seeped between the rice.
I wouldn’t say I’ll come out east again just to go out but anytime I’m in the area you’ll definitely find me here.

This was definitely a one of a kind experience that helped highlight all my tastebuds and bringing harmony from the presentation, the broth and the wonderful ramen.
The ramen was amazing to look at and even better at taste. I would definitely recommend the ‘fire’ option to the ramen as the spicy chili mixture was out of this world. I could eat it with toast and avocado. I would recommend the kyouka ramen which is very good, the shoyu ramen is nice but not a fan of the soy sauce base.
I was reading the reviews before heading over to this place and a fellow Unilocaler recommended the beef tendon donburi! This was a wonderful note to end on. The beef tendon was soft and felt heavenly in my mouth! What a great suggestion!
Parking should not be a problem, there are a lot of side streets to park on. I would definitely go back and become a regular!

Even the coveted Beaches area can’t escape the ramen hype train. Yes, it has begun; the one and probably only ramen place for all you beach goers, east-​downtowners, outcasts… a crowd soon to include me of course. :D This just be my go-​to ramen joint as it’s only minutes from my place (soon-​to-​be).
This is ramen with a Chinese twist to it. From the Cha-​su that reminds me of a traditional Chinese bbq joint to the green onions in the soup that I am very fond of and alas an available Chicken broth stock broth that is all too familiar. It is instantly recognizable and welcoming. I know, I know you may question my credibility as a reviewer but remember food doesn’t always have to be authentic to taste great.
The broth (chicken or pork) is rich and tasty although not quite as rich as some of the champions like Sansotei. The meats are very tender and pretty tasty. The only criticism is that the pork broth has too many lard bits in it. Also the portions are fairly small for the price. As most have mentioned, the wings are very delicious albeit they can be a little crispier and the texture of the meat is a little unnaturally silky (they probably sous-​vide it before frying).
Wow, that was a lot to digest. Anyhow, it’s a worthy visit if you are in the east end.

This is the best Ramen I’ve had in the city. The Kyouka ramen was the most flavourful broth ever.

I’ve had ramen at a number of restos in Toronto and Kyouka was a surprising stop. The ramen options are a bit more limited, but in a good way. I’ve tried both the shio and shoyu ramen. Both are not overpoweringly oily and salty. The pork shoulder they use is not as tender and flavourful as others, but the softboiled egg and generous portions make up for it.
Do yourself a favour and try the slow cooked beef tendon on rice. This is a meal in itself and a steal at the price. It’s sticky and very tasty. A warning though, if you don’t like «gooey» food, go for the deep friend chicken wings instead.
I live in the beaches and my only gripe is there have been two occasions now where I’ve tried to eat here and it was closed. Be sure to check the hours before you stop by! (they close in between lunch and dinner). Service is very friendly. It’s a perfect place to grab a quick bite. I give this place 5 stars as it will definitely be a regular spot for me.

This place was opened this summer couple blocks from my work. So it’s pretty new.
The décor is nice. Smart seating arrangements with bar-​like seats facing the cooks. I ordered Shio ramen from their menu and since I am fairly new to ramen I will stay away from commenting on it.
I got the regular and the portion was well sized and served fast for someone who was out on lunch.
The staffs including the cooks greet you when you walked in and do the same when you leave which is a nice gesture.
Would visit this place again to try other ramen in their menu. And NO they do not provide takeout.

I am a relative newcomer to ramen, but felt that I was a purist. So before rushing off this review of our dinner at Kyouka last night, I googled, and I’ve changed my opinion slightly, for the better.
Backing up:
I live in Leslieville, and Shlo and I wanted ramen. He Unilocaled and found Kyouka, a relatively new place in the Beach, and we were off.
Entering the nicely renovated space (I have lost count of how many restaurants have tried to start up in this space and died a sad death over the years), the overpowering aroma was of fried chicken (aka karaage). But not the rich aroma I’m used to (and was craving) from the broth offered at my usual places, Touhenboku or Santouka.
We both ordered Shio ramen, my go to. What arrived was interesting, but a bit strange as well. Green onions are chopped fine, which I didn’t enjoy. Nori was present, half a nicely cooked egg, and a slice of kamaboko, all delicious. The chashu (one slice each of very pleasantly wood-​smoked pork, one of chicken) was very nice. Maybe a little stingy. The noodles were firm and nicely chewy. But the broth… it was redolent of clam. The menu, which I’m referring to now (as I didn’t have access to it after we ordered) says it’s chicken and clam broth, but there was no hint of chicken. However, I missed the rich, mellow flavor that I strongly associate with true ramen, whether the broth is pork or chicken based (or a blend).
That being said, the googling that I referred to above says that places in Japan are offering clam broth in their ramen, so it’s a *thing*. But it’s not my thing. The broth was pleasant, but in my opinion (and possibly coloured by my expectation of pork) much too fishy. That being said, it was tasty enough that I finished nearly the whole bowl. But I wanted pork broth. Shlo, who had never had ramen before last night, enjoyed it very much, as he had no preconceptions about what to expect.
I now see that their house ramen has chicken and pork broth, and so I should have read the menu more clearly. Bad me.
The service was super quick, very polite, and altogether nice. Perhaps, as they offer such an unusual broth, they might want to explain the different options to sloppy menu readers like me on their first visit. Or make it stand out on their menu a little more.
So would I go back? Perhaps. But I’m more likely to drive a little further to Santouka when I have a craving, because I know it’s stellar ramen.
/​git